Story: Hope, Fear Mark Congo's First Democratic Elections in 46 Years, 07/31/06
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/july-dec06/congo_7-31.html


Reading Comprehension Questions:

1. Why is the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the news right now?

 

 

 

 

2. What is causing much of the violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

 

 

 

3. What dictator seized power and ruled the Congo for more than 30 years?

 

 

 

 

4. Who are the Interhamwe?

 

 

 

 

5. What led to the overthrow of Mobutu's regime?

 

 

 

 

6. Why did Rwandans and Ugandan switch from supporting Laurent Kabila to supporting rebel groups?

 

 

 

 

7. What happened to Laurent Kabila and who took his place?

 

 

 

 

8. How many people die every day in the Congo? How many have died since the start of the recent civil war?

 

 

 

 

9. Who is considered the front-runner for the Congolese presidency?

 

 

 

 

10. How many people die every day in the Congo? How many have died since the start of the recent civil war?

 

 

 

 

Discussion Activity (more research might be needed):

1. Why is it important to know about conflicts occurring far away from you and around the world? Explain your answer?

2. Research one of these African countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Namibia, Angola, Zimbabwe. In a short essay, discuss that country's successes and its problems. Include what you think life might be like in that country for someone your age. Present your essay in a class discussion.

3. Research the U.S. government's response to the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. What is the government doing? Should it be doing more? Why or why not?

4. An International Crisis Group expert made this comment about aid for the Congo: "This is not a two- or three-year process: this is going to last for the next 10 to 20 years; we need to change the system which has been in place since independence." Do you think the United Nations is making the right decision to keep its largest peacekeeping force in the Congo when wars and humanitarian crises are affecting nations like Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, East Timor, and Lebanon? If you were the Secretary-general of the United Nations, how would you determine where to send your peacekeeping forces?

Write a 300-500 word essay on either of these topics providing clear examples. Send your completed editorial to NewsHour Extra (extra@newshour.org). Exceptional essays might be published on our Web site.